Friday, May 11, 2012

We are DTC!

DTC=Dossier to China

Now, what everyone will ask about...how much longer?  I would say we are anywhere from 5-7 months from travel.  That would be with average time frames.

Please don't sigh.  Just please don't.  I know it sounds long to you.  After waiting for literally years for my other two, 5-7 months sounds like heaven.  I don't love that I'm missing out.  But I do believe it will go crazy fast.  If you consider that we committed to Zeke at the end of December which is basically 5 months ago, that time has just flown by.  It's hard to wait; I'm not minimizing it.  I'm just saying I'm okay with it because there isn't any other way for things to happen.

For those of you keeping score at home, here's the China adoption timeline:


Submit LOI (Letter of Intent) to China that identifies a child you'd like to adopt.  (Submitted LOI December 20)

Wait 1-4 weeks for Pre Approval/PA (Received January 3)

Complete homestudy and start assembling dossier (3-4 months)
*Complete homestudy (started mid December, homestudy completed by homestudy agency March 1)
*Send in I800a paperwork (can't apply for the I800a until you have your completed homestudy, application received by USCIS March 8)
*Be fingerprinted  (Received original fingerprint date of April 17, walked in to Omaha USCIS office to be fingerprinted April 5)
*Receive I800a approval  (Received verbal approval April 12, actual approval the following Monday.)
*Authenticate documents at the secretary of state's office
*Send documents to the US Department of State and then the Chinese Consulate  
Send dossier to China (DTC)


Wait for LID (log in date) which is China acknowledging that your dossier has been received (1-4 weeks)

Wait for LOA (Letter of Approval) which is China formally approving you as parents for your child-52 days is average wait

File I800, I864 (US immigration paperwork)

Wait for I800 approval (3 weeks)

Have I800 approval cabled to US Consulate in China (2 weeks)

Wait for Article 5 (2-3 weeks)

Wait for travel approval (TA), 2-4 weeks

2 comments:

Naomi said...

wow! So different than Haiti.

Terry said...

wonderful! I think the best feeling is getting that dossier out of my hands! And After waiting for Asher, Arielle's adoption was a walk in the park-she came home in just under 12 months...with some delays!!! and as everyone would complain about the wait I kept thinking, "this is pretty easy"... I almost felt bad for not feeling bad, haha! The easy part with China, you know what to expect. At least with the wait :)